Buying Your First Home How to Financially Prepare • Mom's Memo (2024)

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Purchasing your very own home is considered by many to be a significant milestone.

It is a massive achievement for many.

While it may be an exciting moment for you, you must stay clear of common first-time home-buying mistakes say the experts at Interest.

In this article, we have taken the liberty to outline nine steps that you will want to consider when you decide whether buying your first home is for you.

It can be a fascinating event to become your homeowner.

By following these easy steps below, you will make sure that the whole process will be as smooth and easy as possible.

Buying Your First Home How to Financially Prepare • Mom's Memo (1)

Step 1: Make Sure You Are Ready To Purchase A House

Make sure that you are ready to purchase a house.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you must consider this a long-term investment.

Think not only about the house you will purchase but also about the neighborhood you will be living in.

Know that you will also have to consider that you will have to pay house taxes and purchase house insurance.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/taxes/what-is-property-tax-how-it-works/

Step 2: Start Shopping For a Loan

After deciding and becoming committed to purchasing your house, you will want to shop around for loans.

This is a very common practice for many people, so don’t fret over taking out a loan.

A few options you may want to consider is a mortgage broker or visiting a small local bank for a loan.

Step 3: Find The Best Payment/Loan Options

Look for a long-term loan.

Market Watch says many banks will offer you a 30-year loan, allowing you to pay small payments over the next few decades.

Buying Your First Home How to Financially Prepare • Mom's Memo (2)

Step 4: Have Your Down Payment Ready

Paying around 20% for the down payment would be an excellent option.

You will want to do this because it may lower the amount you will be paying every month, and it will also put you in better relationships with private mortgage insurance (PMI).

If you can show that you are consistent with your payments and put a down payment that is much higher than they had asked for, you potentially help yourself out in the long term of owning the house.

House payments can be costly, but by paying more than you need to, you allow yourself to have a lower amount, making the mortgage payments much easier.

If you have low monthly mortgage payments, you can also pay many of the mortgage payments in advance, which will also help improve your credit score.

It does pay to PAY as much as you can in the beginning.

Step 5: Be Honest With Yourself About What You Can Afford

This will require that you are very aware of what you can afford.

It is not uncommon for some people to come across a particular house that has a hold on them because of its aesthetics.

However, purchasing or locking yourself into a house you cannot afford can damage your credit score if you cannotpay the mortgage on time.

So be very mindful of the house you are deciding to purchase.

Step 6: Find A Good Real Estate Agent

Once you have concluded that you will be purchasing the house of your dreams, you will want to find an expert real estate agent to help you buy the house.

There are many benefits to having a real estate agent on your side, says The Balance.

Once you have found your real estate agent, they will help guide you through all the paperwork.

Buying Your First Home How to Financially Prepare • Mom's Memo (3)

Step 7: Get A Home Inspection

This is a significant step in buying your first home–or any home.

You will want to get an inspection of the house benefit you purchase.

It is not uncommon for some people to hide specific FAULTS about the house.

Having an inspection of the house can be very helpful for you.

Step 8: Be Patient During The Escrow Process

This process may be a bit more demanding of your time than you may want, but be patient as the whole process is there to PROTECT you (the buyer) from being victimized.

Step 9: Close and Then Move-In

Lastly, after you have gone through all the nonsense of purchasing your home, you can finally move in and turn this new house into a home.

If you have effectively found the right real estate agent, paid the appropriate amount in down payment, and had your inspection, you can now rest in your new home.

We hope these tips for buying your first home help you be more financially prepared to enjoy your new home!

Buying Your First Home How to Financially Prepare • Mom's Memo (2024)

FAQs

What should you financially have in place before you buy a home? ›

It means saving up an adequate down payment, identifying the right mortgage lender, checking your credit rating, minimizing your debts, setting aside cash for closing costs, and getting pre-approval for a mortgage in advance.

What is the first thing you should do when preparing to buy a home? ›

8 Steps to prepare to buy a house:
  1. Check your credit and improve your score.
  2. Lower your debt-to-income ratio.
  3. Save for a down payment.
  4. Determine your home buying budget.
  5. Research loan programs.
  6. Get pre-approved.
  7. Find a real estate agent.
  8. Be ready to make a deposit when your offer is accepted.
Jan 12, 2024

How to get your finances in order before buying a house? ›

How to Prepare to Finance a Home
  1. Develop a budget. ...
  2. Reduce debt. ...
  3. Keep your job. ...
  4. Ask for a raise. ...
  5. Establish a good credit history. ...
  6. Obtain a copy of your credit report. ...
  7. Save for a down payment. ...
  8. Consider your mortgage options.

What should my finances look like when buying a house? ›

Debt and budget

Start with the industry recommendations: Total debt payments, including a future mortgage, should be less than 36% of your pre-tax income. Total monthly housing costs should be less than 28% of your pre-tax income.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings.

Can I afford a house on 70k a year? ›

One rule of thumb is that the cost of your home should not exceed three times your income. On a salary of $70k, that would be $210,000. This is only one way to estimate your budget, however, and it assumes that you don't have a lot of other debts.

What are the first 5 steps to buying a house? ›

Let's break down how to get there.
  1. Step 1: Prepare your finances. Before you begin your search for a home, figure out what you can realistically afford. ...
  2. Step 2: Prequalify for the right loan. ...
  3. Step 3: Call a real estate agent. ...
  4. Step 4: Lock in your mortgage. ...
  5. Step 5: Prepare to close.

What are the 3 steps of preparing to buy a home? ›

Key Takeaways
  1. Assess your financial readiness and credit score before buying a house.
  2. Determine your budget and calculate how much you can afford to spend on a house.
  3. Research and explore different financing options, such as conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans.

What is most likely the first step in buying a home? ›

The first step to buying a home is getting pre-approved for a mortgage loan. This involves finding a lender, such as a bank or credit union, that you want to work with. To initiate pre-approval, you'll provide the lender with your financial information, including your income, credit history, and debt.

How much money should I have in my bank account before I buy a house? ›

A good number to shoot for when saving for a house is 25% of the sale price to cover your down payment, closing costs and moving expenses. (This amount is separate from saving up 3–6 months of your typical living expenses in a fully-funded emergency fund—which I recommend you do first, before saving up for a home.)

What income do banks look at when buying a house? ›

You can use many different income sources to qualify for a mortgage, including: Employment income: Base pay or wages, bonuses, commissions, overtime payments and self-employment income. Schedule K-1: Income and distributions from partnerships, S corporations and estates.

What should my income be before buying a house? ›

To afford a typical home in the most expensive metro areas, by contrast, one must rake in at least $200,000 annually. The most expensive market in the U.S. is San Jose, California, where home affordability requires a minimum income of roughly $454,300.

What is a good credit score for buying a house? ›

Some types of mortgages have specific minimum credit score requirements. A conventional loan requires a credit score of at least 620, but it's ideal to have a score of 740 or above, which could allow you to make a lower down payment, get a more attractive interest rate and save on private mortgage insurance.

How much should you spend on your first house? ›

For many first-time buyers, a good guideline is to look for a home that is about 3 to 5 times your household annual income. Key factors that may guide you to a higher or lower range could be your current debt situation, the general level of mortgage rates, and your household's expected future earnings power.

What should I have saved before buying a house? ›

Save for a down payment: You'll typically need at least 3 percent of the purchase price of the home as a down payment. Keep in mind that to avoid having to pay for mortgage insurance, though, you'll likely need to put at least 20 percent down.

How much money should you have before buying property? ›

You should shoot for a down payment of at least 20%—that'll keep you from having to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI is a yearly fee that runs about 1% of your loan balance, so avoiding it will save you big-time money. Plus, a bigger down payment means smaller monthly payments and less debt.

What is an important financial detail to consider when purchasing a home? ›

Consider your down payment amount and what you can afford in monthly mortgage payments coupled with recurring debts and household expenses (like daycare, groceries, utilities, tuition, etc.). You'll also want to have savings set aside for home maintenance and major repairs.

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